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Soldaditos de Pavía
Battered salt cod fingers
Soldaditos de Pavía: battered salt cod fingers with a red pepper stripe
Madrid's old taverns near Puerta del Sol have fried these golden fingers of salt cod for well over a century, and they are still eaten standing at the bar with a small glass of something cold. Legend says the orange-red strip of pepper recalls the uniforms of soldiers in a Pavía regiment. The cod is soaked for two days to remove the salt, then fried until hot through, so it is fully cooked. Chef's tip: use cold sparkling water in the batter for a lighter, crunchier coat.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz salt cod lointhick pieces, soaked 36–48 hours in the fridge
- 1 roasted red pepperfrom a jar, cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch saffron threadscrumbled, or 1/4 tsp sweet paprika for colour
- ¾ cup cold sparkling water
- 4 ¼ cups olive or sunflower oilfor deep-frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 14 oz salt cod loin in plenty of cold water in the fridge, covered, for 36–48 hours, changing the water 3–4 times a day. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not salty.
Step 2: Drain the cod, remove any skin and bones and cut it into fingers about 8 × 2 cm. Pat dry, sprinkle with 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Whisk 4 oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch saffron threads, then whisk in ¾ cup cold sparkling water until just smooth. It should coat a spoon like thick cream.
Step 4: Heat 4 ¼ cups olive or sunflower oil to 350°F. Lay a strip of 1 roasted red pepper along each cod finger and press it on.
Step 5: Dip the fingers in batter, let the excess drip off, and fry 4–5 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp, and the fish inside is opaque and flakes. A common mistake is overcrowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature and makes the batter greasy.
12 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soldaditos de Pavía take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of roasted red pepper?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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